Daily Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1882-1893, 1887-03-20
RANGE ROSES.
The Blithe Spring Time Brings
Good Cheer to the Cow
Man,
Who Month Bacfwould Have
Taken Less than Fifty Cents
on the Dollar.
The Dutch Dances and Other
Dancing Topics Versus the
Lenten Season.
THE RANGE OUTLOOK.

A Bad Winter and = Promising Spring.
As reports from the different range
localities come in, the situation Is
found to be very much better than
was anticipated at any time since the
first Of February, and owners who q
month ago were prepared to believe
that the major portion Of their herds
had succumbed to the unparalleled Sc
verify of the winter. are now In q
much happier frame Of mind and in.
clined to regard their losses as incon-
siderable, considering the length and
rIgors Of tie winter season, and the
condition of the range last fall. Had
there been no snow or cold weather,
there would still be q more than ordi-
nary loss In range cattle, owing to the
scarcity Of feed and the over crowding
Of the ranges. The long continued
drouth Of last summer reduced the
feed on many ranges to minimum,
especially where Q feverish haste to
get rich had inuuced owners to turn
loose more cattle than the locality
could support at its best, and while
there was some compensation In the
fact that owang to the drouth, cattle
were forced TO remain near water
courses and kept from ranging on the
winter feeding grounds, the depth Of
snow that prevailed during the last
two months Of winter, made winter
feed so inaccessible a. to be practically
useless for the time being, but with
their natural food locked up under
crusted snow, the "rustlers" quickly
turned their attention TO sage brush,
which by wise provision Of nature
was unusually well laden with seed
last year. and presumably more nu-
trtious than 1t ordinarily is. At
all events 1t was heap
better than nothing, and no doubt
prolonged life in many an animal
that would otherwise have yielded up
his claim on the future. The avidity
with which sage brush was eaten is
evident by the fact that all over the
range are stumps rs thick as ones
wrist, from which all above has been
devoured. To the timely relief af-
forded by the despised sage brush may
be attributed the fact that very salts
factory percentage of range cattle have
succeeded in pulling through the worst
winter ever experienced on the Mon.
tans ranges. But there IL no cloud &C
dark Uut has sunshine behind IL, and
the long and iateful winter has been
succeeded by aspiring that could not
thus far, have been more favorable to
range interests, II gotten up to order.
The unusually heavy fall OF snow has
gone of SO gradually, that much Of the
moisture resulting from II has pene-
trated the ground, which being but
specifically frozen, was in excellent
condition to receive il. Following the
disappearance Of the snow came winds
which rapidly dried up the surplus
moistIre, giving the worn aud feeble
cattle dry spots 10 lie down on. easy
travel while feeding, and materially
reducing the chances Of miring while
weak. These conditions with the add
ed advantage Of being able to fill up
on old grass before new grass comes, ID
daily adding to the strength and vital.
ity OF range cattle, and If continued
for short time longer (and the indi.
cations are fayorable) will soon place
them beyond danger OF set backs by
storms and unreasonable weather that
may come later.
The prospect for grass was never
better since tn country was opened
TO range cattle. The ground which
WINS thoroughly saturated by late fall
rains, froze but lightly before 1t was COW
cred by November snow, which was
added to In the succeeding three
months, keeping 1t protected from the
low temperature that was experienced
later In the winter, and left It porous
aud capable OF absorbing an unusual
amount Of moisture from melting
snow this spring. the swelling roots
are already putting forth their tender
shoots Of green, and q restocking OF
the entire range with an abundant
growth OF grass seems to be assured.
Even q dry spring cannot interfere
with the present favorable outlook,